Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a method of controlling the same, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and an information processing system, and, more particularly, to settings for processing in editing a workflow that includes a processing request toward a device such as an image processing apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, automatic execution of a documentation workflow using a workflow engine is gaining attention as a way to improve efficiency of routine work operations in which documents are handled. The workflow engine operates on a server and executes tasks such as printing a document file held on a server, notifying emails to the operator, and the like in accordance with a predetermined workflow sequence. The workflow engine can also cause a device, such as a PC connected to a server via a network or the like, to execute processing such as printing of the document file, moving of the file, and editing of the file.
The workflow executed by the workflow engine is edited by using a tool called a workflow editor. The workflow editor outputs and stores an edited workflow as a workflow definition file. The workflow engine executes a workflow by loading the workflow definition file. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-311941 discloses how, in workflow editing, processing to be executed as a workflow task is selected and set from the histories of a device that will perform document processing.
When a task that causes a device such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) or the like to execute processing is included in the workflow editing by a workflow editor, settings of the processing need to be set. The MFP has a plurality of functions such as copy and scan and transmission. Even in the copy function alone, an extremely large number of setting items, for example, the number of copies, the setting for double-sided printing, the setting for print magnification, the setting for image scanning, the color setting at the time of printing, and the like exist for processing execution. Setting these settings in the way the user wants without making a mistake is extremely difficult.
Additionally, in creating a workflow, when a currently manually executed workflow is automated by a workflow engine, each apparatus may obtain a past processing history and set desired processing settings from the history. However, when there are a massive number of histories, finding the history of the desired processing from among the histories becomes difficult. Similarly, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-311941, finding the desired processing from the histories becomes difficult when the number of histories increases.